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Episode 1: Eva Reid on Community, Communication, Working in Government, and "Just Asking"
(10:50) “I'm really interested in how we build community in technology. And I think part of it is because -- as a woman in technology we're not necessarily, or we haven't been historically, as visible in the community. And so one of my thought processes is around, how do we build a community of women in technology that not only helps support us as women but helps us to be a larger part of the tech community, women and otherwise.”
(17:56) “And I think for me too though even just asking that question was really difficult. Like what do I need to do to make it to the next level? And I think the difficulty there is -- there isn’t always a position available. And so I think coming to the point where I realized that as a person in technology, I was, you know, I was at a certain grade level and wanting to move up and not really sure how to do that. And ultimately it came down to just asking.”
(23:32) “I think it's talking yourself up into doing something but also recognizing that you deserve something. I think in both of those cases I very much deserved what I ended up getting. And the only reason I did get it was because I asked. And because I made it clear what my expectations were and why I felt I deserved the thing.”
(35:31) “How do we teach tech people to communicate with non-technical people? Some of it is definitely teachable.”
(41:34) I think inclusion is really important. We talk about diversity and we talk about hiring, you know, different people for roles. And we talk about achieving parity for whatever group we’re talking about. But again, once people come in, do they feel engaged and do they feel connected to the community? And in this case the community that we're talking about is leadership, C-suite, whatever you want to call it. Do we see people like us in those roles? Do we feel like the organization actually cares about us as people, as people of the particular group? I think that's really key in getting people to stay.
Bio
Eva Reid is a Senior Analyst and GIS Training Coordinator for the District of Columbia Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO). She is also the owner of Eva Reid Consulting, a life design and coaching firm for women in technology and fields where women are under-represented.
Eva has over 25 years of experience in information technology, training and project management. Eva is noted for the caliber and creativity of her work as a technical workshop presenter and facilitator in professional, corporate and government settings. Eva’s commitment to impact the numbers of women who enter the field of technology is evident in her networking and academic activities. She provides leadership and oversight for the DC Area Women in GIS Group and the DC Government Women in Technology Group, and is the Chapter Coordinator for Women in GIS, the international organization.
The native New Yorker earned a B.A. in Geography (Cum Laude) from Macalester College and a Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) from Arizona State University.
Mentioned in the episode:
Women in GIS
Women in Technology
Office of the Chief Technology Officer
FABWOMEN
Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science
Black Lives Matter
Diversify Tech
View all episodes
By Tech, Rebalanced(10:50) “I'm really interested in how we build community in technology. And I think part of it is because -- as a woman in technology we're not necessarily, or we haven't been historically, as visible in the community. And so one of my thought processes is around, how do we build a community of women in technology that not only helps support us as women but helps us to be a larger part of the tech community, women and otherwise.”
(17:56) “And I think for me too though even just asking that question was really difficult. Like what do I need to do to make it to the next level? And I think the difficulty there is -- there isn’t always a position available. And so I think coming to the point where I realized that as a person in technology, I was, you know, I was at a certain grade level and wanting to move up and not really sure how to do that. And ultimately it came down to just asking.”
(23:32) “I think it's talking yourself up into doing something but also recognizing that you deserve something. I think in both of those cases I very much deserved what I ended up getting. And the only reason I did get it was because I asked. And because I made it clear what my expectations were and why I felt I deserved the thing.”
(35:31) “How do we teach tech people to communicate with non-technical people? Some of it is definitely teachable.”
(41:34) I think inclusion is really important. We talk about diversity and we talk about hiring, you know, different people for roles. And we talk about achieving parity for whatever group we’re talking about. But again, once people come in, do they feel engaged and do they feel connected to the community? And in this case the community that we're talking about is leadership, C-suite, whatever you want to call it. Do we see people like us in those roles? Do we feel like the organization actually cares about us as people, as people of the particular group? I think that's really key in getting people to stay.
Bio
Eva Reid is a Senior Analyst and GIS Training Coordinator for the District of Columbia Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO). She is also the owner of Eva Reid Consulting, a life design and coaching firm for women in technology and fields where women are under-represented.
Eva has over 25 years of experience in information technology, training and project management. Eva is noted for the caliber and creativity of her work as a technical workshop presenter and facilitator in professional, corporate and government settings. Eva’s commitment to impact the numbers of women who enter the field of technology is evident in her networking and academic activities. She provides leadership and oversight for the DC Area Women in GIS Group and the DC Government Women in Technology Group, and is the Chapter Coordinator for Women in GIS, the international organization.
The native New Yorker earned a B.A. in Geography (Cum Laude) from Macalester College and a Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) from Arizona State University.
Mentioned in the episode:
Women in GIS
Women in Technology
Office of the Chief Technology Officer
FABWOMEN
Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science
Black Lives Matter
Diversify Tech